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Monday
Evening QB
THE 1946 World Series was won with baserunning, as the Cardinals' Enos Slaughter scored from first on a single to the surprise of Red Sox shortstop Johnny Pesky, who inexplicably held the ball. Perez gaffe makes
Mets running jokeThe 2000 World Series may have already been lost with baserunning, as Mets' rookie Timo Perez, celebrating a home run that turned out not to be one, was thrown out at home.
There are lots of other points were the Mets fouled up badly in Game 1, and if any team can come back from an 0-2 deficit, it's Bobby Valentine's crew.
But Perez's mistake is indicative of a disturbing trend in baseball at all levels -- horsebleep baserunning.
Getting from home to home is equal parts common sense, instinct, hustle and knowledge. For the most part, it's a learnable skill -- and being fast is just a bonus.
Most of today's players, infatuated and obsessed by the long ball, don't take the time to master the art of baserunning.
And when the best play the best in a short series, games are often won and lost by decisions made on the base paths.
Today, Benny entered the Hall of Fame. That is, Hawaii's other diamond Benny, Benny Villaverde.
He was enshrined in the National Senior Softball Hall of Fame, as part of opening day ceremonies for the Senior Softball Fall 2000 tournament in Las Vegas.
Villaverde is among 13 honorees chosen out of 35 nominees.
When he played hardball, Villaverde never made it to the World Series, "Live With Regis" and Yankee Stadium. But he did bat against Whitey Ford back in the 1950s, when the Yankees great was barnstorming with a bunch of big leaguers on the Big Island.
Villaverde, barely 18, batted leadoff for a group of Hilo all-star men. Every nerve jangling, he managed to lay down a drag bunt and was barely called out at first.
When softball became Villaverde's game, he attacked it with rare fervor -- and not just as a player.
Since joining the senior ranks in 1982, Villaverde has served four terms as Makua Alii president. He is also the founder of Senior Softball Hawaii, a nonprofit that organizes tournaments and teams of local seniors that play on the mainland.
One of Villaverde's proudest moments was when the Hawaii 75-and-overs won the Senior Softball World Series in 1995, even though he wasn't a player on the team.
The 16 semifinalists for the Mosi Tatupu Special Teams Award, to be presented at the Rivals.com Hula Bowl Maui, have been chosen.
Most are kickers or returners. But my favorite among the group is Clemson's Chad Speck, who once made seven special teams tackles in a game and is gunning for the school career record.
The guys who cover kicks, block on returns, bust wedges, block kicks and snap the ball reflect the true spirit of special teams -- they are anonymous warriors who often have such a huge impact on the outcome.
Plus, Speck is an all-ACC academic with a 3.84 GPA.
If Street & Smith's basketball annual is right, Kamehameha's girls will be unstoppable again this season. The mag lists "Brandy Richardson (Kamehameha)" as one of the nation's top seniors.
Kalaheo coach Chico Furtado's heart may have stopped when he read that. But last we heard, the two-time state player of the year still plans to finish her career this spring with the Mustangs.
Dave Reardon, who covered sports in Hawaii from 1977 to 1998,
moved to the the Gainesville Sun, then returned to
the Star-Bulletin in Jan. 2000.
E-mail dreardon@starbulletin.com
